Do female Lake Eyre dragon lizards adjust courtship rejection behaviour under higher predation risk?

Abstract

Female resistance is expected to evolve when mating costs outweigh resistance costs. One potential cost of resistance is increased predation risk; however, the ability to compensate behaviourally may reduce these costs. In the Lake Eyre dragon, Ctenophorus maculosus, non-receptive females employ several rejection strategies, including lateral threat displays and flipping over, to prevent superfluous matings. C. maculosus rely on cryptic dorsal colouration for protection from predators; however, resisting females are highly conspicuous as they develop orange ventro-lateral colouration, which is emphasised during rejection displays. Furthermore, flipping over may increase vulnerability to pred..